The Meaning of Psalms 97:5 Explained

Psalms 97:5

KJV: The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

YLT: Hills, like wax, melted before Jehovah, Before the Lord of all the earth.

Darby: The mountains melted like wax at the presence of Jehovah, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

ASV: The mountains melted like wax at the presence of Jehovah, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The hills  melted  like wax  at the presence  of the LORD,  at the presence  of the Lord  of the whole earth. 

What does Psalms 97:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 97:1-12 - "be Glad In The Lord"
The keynote here is the reign of God. To the wicked, it spells misery; to the believer, it is the inauguration of harmony and joy. It is as though herald-angels step from isle to isle, from mountain peak to mountain peak, with the glad tidings of great joy. It is not always easy to trace its advent. Clouds and darkness are around him. The eye of sense cannot penetrate the black enclosing pall, but faith is ever certain that righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne.
Sometimes God comes in fire, Psalms 97:3, as at Sinai, or on the day of Pentecost, which took place on the anniversary of the giving of the Law. Days come like that on which Jerusalem fell, or when the Turks took Constantinople, or when Napoleon was shattered at Waterloo-then hills melt like wax. But through all dark and terrible dispensations the Kingdom is secretly growing, the Lord is being exalted, and light is being sown for His people, Psalms 97:11. So, believer, your tears and fightings, as they pass, are absorbing heaven's love and power, which they will hold in reserve though buried for long in the dark. Days are at hand of unspeakable gladness. Be of good cheer. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 97

1  The majesty of God's kingdom
7  The church rejoices at God's judgments upon idolaters
10  An exhortation to godliness and gladness

What do the individual words in Psalms 97:5 mean?

The mountains like wax melt at the presence of Yahweh at the presence of the Lord of all the earth
הָרִ֗ים כַּדּוֹנַ֗ג נָ֭מַסּוּ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה מִ֝לִּפְנֵ֗י אֲד֣וֹן כָּל־ הָאָֽרֶץ

הָרִ֗ים  The  mountains 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
כַּדּוֹנַ֗ג  like  wax 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֹּונַג  
Sense: wax (always figurative ‘of melting’).
נָ֭מַסּוּ  melt 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָסַס  
Sense: to dissolve, melt.
מִלִּפְנֵ֣י  at  the  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִ֝לִּפְנֵ֗י  at  the  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֲד֣וֹן  of  the  Lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
כָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָאָֽרֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.